Boca Mayor: Ease Rules For Eateries

BOCA RATON -- Much to the dismay of at least two other city officials, Mayor Emil Danciu has proposed repealing the City Council`s regulation of restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Danciu, the owner of a popular raw bar for young people called Dirty Moe`s, said he supports changing the city`s rules regarding restaurants and bars in part because of his own experience of going through the city`s costly and time-consuming approval process.

The City Council will consider the proposal at tonight`s meeting.

``I felt kind of abused by the law,`` said Danciu, who expanded his restaurant on Spanish River Boulevard last year. He called the cost of the review process ``a total waste of money.``

The proposal would eliminate the requirement that restaurant and bar owners gain City Council approval before opening businesses. Under the proposal, owners who want to build a new restaurant or bar would have to get the approval of the Planning and Zoning Board, but those owners opening in existing buildings would need only an occupational license.

Danciu said that the approval process, which includes a public hearing in front of both the Planning and Zoning Board and the City Council, takes six to eight months and can cost $2,000 or more.

The time and money required unfairly prevents some people from opening restaurants or bars, Danciu said. He also said the requirements are hard on landlords, who have trouble attracting tenants because of the review process.

``We have an ordinance that works,`` said Hagerty, who brought up the problems that Deerfield Beach and Boynton Beach have had recently with restaurants or nightclubs.

In Deerfield Beach, neighbors of the Dragon Club on North Federal Highway have complained about noise lasting until 2 a.m., gunshots, public drunkenness, customers urinating on lawns and parking problems. Residents of Boynton Beach have complained about noise coming from the restaurant called RumBottoms, which has since closed.